How does it work?

Due to gravity and the laws of physics, aquarium waste naturally works its way through the rocks to be trapped at the bottom of the aquarium in a patent-pending reservoir and plumbing system. This keeps your Betta fish out of harm’s way and water crystal clear. Every couple of days, simply pour clean water into the aquarium to activate the self-cleaning system. This flushes out waste trapped in the reservoir while performing a partial water change.

The cleaning system automatically stops when the water reaches the perfect level, ensuring a spill-free, mess-free experience. Waste water is neatly collected in a cup for watering your plants or easy disposal.

How often should I activate the self-cleaning cycle?

Water quality is the key to your Betta’s health. We recommend pouring fresh, conditioned water into the aquarium every 7 - 10 days. If you don’t have the chance to activate the self- cleaning cycle daily you should pour more water into the aquarium during the next cleaning.

How much water should I pour in?

One of the cool things about this product is that you can choose how much water to remove/replace during a cleaning. For a quick flush pour in a 16 - 20 oz glass. For a more thorough water change you can pour in a pitcher. Of course, you'll want to match the size of the collection container with the amount of water being poured in (or put it in the sink for very large water changes), and you don’t want to pour the water in so fast that you overflow the tank.

How do I prepare the clean water?

If possible, let clean water sit out for 24 before adding to the aquarium. Make sure the temperature of the water you add is about the same as the water present in the aquarium. Use water conditioner when filling the aquarium (found at any pet store, follow directions on label). Rinse out the cup before you fill the aquarium to avoid introducing toxic substances, including soap and cleansers, to your aquarium.

What about algea?

The design and function of the aquarium goes a long way toward avoiding algae growth so with proper aquarium placement algae growth should not be an issue. Here's why:

Algae need 3 things to live: oxygen, food and sunlight. Oxygen is limited in the aquarium because there’s no moving water. Betta breathe air from the surface with their labyrinth organ so this is safe for the fish, too. Most other fish (including algae eaters) require oxygenated water, which is achieved by the use of filters and bubblers, thus elevating the incidence of algae growth.

Algae don’t have the most appetizing diet. It feeds on the by-products of a dirty aquarium: fish waste and dirty water. By activating the self-cleaning system regularly you greatly reduce the amount of nutrients essential for algae growth.

Don’t put your aquarium in direct sunlight because this will almost guarantee algae growth. We have the aquariums in a room that gets good indirect sunlight and algae growth is not a problem. If you do get a little algae or gunk on the wall simply wipe it off with a brush. Run the cleaning system afterward thoroughly to flush it out. Your aquarium will look like new!

LED lighting obtained through NoClean Aquariums will not cause algae growth.

Why doesn't waste get stuck in the rocks?

The natural rocks are smooth and rounded so debris simply slides between the large gaps between rocks and falls into plumbing system. The glass gems work great too but they are a bit smaller so an occasional bit of waste may get caught between the rocks. No worries though. When you run the self-cleaning system the water flow usually sucks it out of the glass gems to be flushed out of the tank. If it doesn't get sucked down simply poke the gems with a stick next time the system is running to free the debris. It’s important that the self-cleaning system is running before you agitate the gems to make sure the debris is sucked down and isn’t stirred up.

Can I use my own rocks or gravel?

You can use your own large substrate provided that it doesn't interfere with the aquarium waste sinking into the reservoir. Regular aquarium gravel should not be used because it is too small and will jam the self-cleaning mechanism. Obviously, all substrate obtained through NoClean AquariumsTM will work with your aquarium.